Cherchez La Femme
by SaltyJak
Summary: 'When a man has a problem, there is surely a woman at the source.' When Tootie has a problem, there is surely a Trixie at the source. Direct sequel to 'Giddy' centered on Tootie and the reason she is meeting Trixie at the mall, and how she got where she is.
1. Chapter 1

"Phew... glad I got out of that one..." Tootie was briskly walking toward the bus stop, having just left her house after talking to Vicky.

_Flashback..._

"_Alright, just grab my coat, my purse... yep, that's everything!" Tootie checked her pocket. "Except... my phone! Where? Where did I-" Tootie's eyes widened with realization. "Oh no..."_

_Making her way downstairs to the living room, she searched around and couldn't locate her sister. "Vicky?"_

_No response._

_Looking over the couch, she spied her phone on one of the cushions and grabbed it._

"_Um... I'm leaving now, bye Vicky!"_

_Tootie left and shut the door._

_There was a very quiet snickering coming from the kitchen as Tootie left._

_End Flashback..._

She was on her way to the arcade in the Dimmsdale Mall to meet up with Trixie Tang, of all people. These meetings were becoming more frequent now. The two had actually met at the arcade a few months back.

Tootie had gone to the arcade after school to blow off steam, she was tired of Timmy rebuffing her affections and had finally given up on trying to get him to like her, it was just too much. So she went to the mall and...

_'Nother Flashback..._

"_I can't believe I wasted so much time trying to get him to like me! I've been a fool..." she slammed the control stick of the arcade machine she was using._

"_Um... hey. You okay?" a somewhat fake sounding deep voice spoke to her._

"_Huh?" Tootie spun around to come face to face with an admittedly feminine-looking boy wearing a red baseball cap, purple shirt, dark pink pants and white sneakers._

"_Tootie? Um... Hi!"_

_This boy had Tootie at a disadvantage, he seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place him. Did she go to school with him? That must be it._

_But she wasn't about to make herself look stupid in public. "Hi! I didn't know you came here! How've you been?"_

_The boy seemed dumbstruck at first, then must've decided to play along. "Yeah, I don't really get out much, parents and what not. Usually I hang out with Tad, Chad, and Veronica. But sometimes I like to go all 'lone wolf', y'know?"_

"_Yeah, I know how that can be, usually I prefer to hang out with Chester, AJ, and Timmy, but I wanted to be alone today..."_

"_Why?"_

_Tootie gave the boy a quizzical look._

"_Er... if you don't mind me asking..."_

_Tootie sighed. "I assume you know me, self-proclaimed girlfriend of Timmy Turner?"_

"_Well, we _do _go to school together..."_

"_Right... well I've been trying to get him to go out with me for... years now... I'm just tired of him rejecting me, over and over... I'm done."_

"_Timmy... Timmy... Oh! I know him! Yeah, he's been trying to get me to go out with him, guy doesn't take a hint..."_

"_Wait, what?" _"Timmy... likes... guys? Well... it would explain why he never reciprocated my affections..."

"_Yeah, weird that we have such different relationships with the same guy, huh?"_

"_Weird is an understatement, I had no idea that Timmy was... like that, though how close he is with Chester and AJ makes a lot more sense now..."_

"_So... you wanna play?" Tootie gestured to the arcade machine she had been playing._

"_Sure! I'll warn you though, I'm pretty good."_

_Tootie giggled. "We'll see about that!"_

_After that, any passerby would've thought the two were old friends catching up amid the video games. Tootie was surprised, she never knew that she went to school with a boy who shared similar interests to Timmy, but was much more accepting of her. Then again, Tootie wasn't trying to kidnap or molest this boy, so that may have had something to do with it._

"_So..." Tootie started. "Do you come here often?"_

"_As often as I can, if my friends knew I came here... well, it wouldn't be good."_

"_You're friends think it's weird you come to the arcade?"_

"_Well... Tad and Chad would... Veronica... she might be able to be convinced to come out here, she's more open-minded than them."_

"_If you're friends with the popular kids, you must be pretty well off yourself, huh?"_

"_Kinda... but I'm not snobby or anything! At least... I don't think so... am I?"_

"_Nah, you're cool."_

"_Phew! I was worried... sometimes I come off as... kind of a bitch..."_

"_I haven't gotten that vibe from you. You're kinda... um..."_

"_Yeah?"_

"_If I tell you something, can you promise me you won't freak out?"_

"_I guess so..."_

"_You're... kind of..." Tootie was turning progressively redder. "Cute..."_

_The boy Tootie was talking to went wide-eyed and stared dumbly at Tootie._

"_Oh no... I'm sorry! You're freaking out aren't you? Dammit! I'm always too forward! I- uh... Can- can we start over? Hi! I'm Tootie!"_

"_Tootie! It's fine! Calm down..." the boy giggled at Tootie's antics and smiled._

_Tootie felt her heart flutter at the smile, similar to how she felt around Timmy._

"_But... um..."_

_Tootie watched as the boy twiddled his thumbs. "You... aren't really looking for any sort of relationship, right? You just wanna stay friends?"_

"_Well..." it was now or never, revealing herself could certainly have some dire consequences..._

"_This is silly, I'm telling you I like you, and I don't even know your name..."_

"_Tootie, it's me!"_

"_You?"_

_Tootie watched as the boy looked around warily, then took off his hat, letting long black hair fall out and down to his waist from under the hat._

"_I'm... still in the dark... but you look familiar..." Tootie's eyes widened in shock. "Trixie?!"_

_End of Flashback #2..._

Tootie giggled to herself as she rode the bus to the mall, she was certainly surprised by Trixie's big reveal, in a few short hours, Tootie realized that she had been wrong about Trixie, she wasn't a snob, or a bitch, she liked video games,(and apparently dressed as a boy now and then) and Tootie finally understood why Trixie never went out with Timmy despite his multiple(though admittedly failed) attempts at wooing her. Trixie was, to put it lightly, 'playing for the other team'.

Tootie really did think Trixie was a boy when they met at the arcade, and she really did think said boy was... cute.

So, when Trixie revealed herself, Tootie was... shocked, to say the least. Lucky for her, things didn't get awkward between them, they were good friends, but Trixie requested that their meetings be kept under her hat for now, she didn't want to have to deal with her friends and their strange looks.

Tootie certainly felt that it was odd that the girl who held her once-crush's affections and was her enemy was now a very close friend, but sometimes the world just throws curve balls, right?

Arriving at the mall and making her way to the arcade, Tootie looked around for 'Tristan' as the two had agreed to call Trixie while she was dressed as a boy. She saw him(her) and ran over before enveloping her(let's go with her for simplicity's sake) in a hug.

"Um... h-hey there..." Trixie was still unused to such displays of affection, especially considering that Tootie claimed she liked boys, yet the two of them were practically one step away from dating. Tootie was, evidently, a fan of public displays of affection, hand-holding, hugging, the occasional kiss on the cheek; all in the name of acting and playing the part, according to Tootie, yet it was sending Trixie some seriously mixed signals. It was little wonder that Timmy was frightened by her forwardness. "How um... how are things?"

"Strange. Vicky's in love."

"Your sister? The one everyone claims is an evil babysitter?"

"That's the one. Anyway, Vicky isn't all that bad, she just puts up a facade like that to get what she wants. If she was really all that evil, do you think she'd be able to find love? Or a guy that was even willing to entertain the idea of dating her?"

"I suppose not. Who's the lucky guy?"

"No idea, unfortunately. All I know is that she changed her ringtone to some golden oldie song, and that she's been... _swooning_!"

"Swooning? Wow, the love bug must've bitten her hard, from what you've told me about Vicky, that doesn't sound like her at all..."

"Right? Eh... I'm happy for her though, she was starting to get all mopey, it was depressing. Kinda feel bad for the guy though, hope he knows what he's in for..." Tootie laughed as she thought of her sister beating up some new boyfriend.

"Hahaha! He's got his work cut out for him!" Trixie's laughter died down as she looked down at Tootie. "Um... we're still hugging..."

"Sh-should we not hug?" Tootie's face pinkened.

"Er... I mean- I guess we can, but..." Trixie scratched the back of her head and looked around nervously.

"Is- is this awkward?"

"Little bit."

Anyone in the mall likely wouldn't have thought so, to them, it looked like either two siblings or two kids who were a couple hugging, nothing particularly strange about that.

However, to Tootie and Trixie, well, mostly Trixie, the fact that they just carried on a fairly lengthy conversation in what could possibly be described as a loving embrace perplexed her. Emboldened(and slightly foolish) from their closeness, Trixie leaned down toward Tootie.

"Um... Tristan? What are we doing?"

Trixie continued leaning closer. "Who's Tristan?"

"I... don't know..."

Tootie unconsciously began leaning up towards Trixie, she didn't know what exactly it was that she was feeling, but she didn't really care either.

"Hey Tootie!"

The voice jolted both girls from their reverie and caused Tootie to look toward the source of the distraction with annoyance in her eyes and murder on her mind. _"Damn."_

"I brought Chester too!"

"_Double damn."_

It was AJ, that's who interrupted them, with Chester in tow.

"Who's your boyfriend?"

"_Triple damn..."_

* * *

><p>Long AN: See? I don't hate Trixie, contrary to how I tend to portray her, I just associate her with someone I know in real life, so she comes off as a bitch(Trixie does, not the girl in real life, she really is one) but enough about my past relationships.

This one takes place right after 'Giddy' so it's in the same universe as all the one-shots that are tied to 'Giddy', and there will be more. This will probably have a few chapters, though not as much as Summer or RoB.

In regards to Summer, yes, I know you all want more chapters, and yes, they are coming, but I had to go back and read it to remember where I was and while I was reading it, I noticed several errors, so I am in the midst of correcting them. I should be able to get that all done over the weekend, so I apologize for the wait, but it will be a little longer.

Lastly, the whole reason I'm doing this is one: people apparently wanted it, and two: the last few stories I did, Tootie was pretty miffed that Timmy chose Vicky over her, and, being the hopeless romantic I am, it didn't feel right not having Tootie with _someone_, but AJ's been done, so I wanted someone that was a little more out of left field. The alternative was to kill her off, which almost happened in 'Red or Black', so I think this choice is better. So in this story, Tootie has already 100% given up on Timmy.

A/N2: The title is a reference to the Fallout New Vegas perk of the same name, though I suppose the french idiom it stems from could fit too.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here's another chapter, because I'm not as evil as I say I am, though my muse and I _are_ as crazy as I say we are.

* * *

><p>"My what?!" Tootie stared at her two friends in disbelief.<p>

"Your boyfriend." AJ shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "At least, that seemed to be the case fifteen seconds ago. I certainly don't hold strangers close like that, and you don't have any other family besides your parents and Vicky, so..."

Tootie shot Trixie a pleading look.

Trixie winked to show she understood.

"Um... guys, this is Tristan, he moved here from... Not Dimmsdale..." _"Smooth Tootie..."_

"Amity Park."

"Huh?"

Trixie whispered to Tootie. "It was the first thing that popped into my head, just go with it."

"Gotcha... Yeah, he's from Amity Park, just moved here recently..."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Tristan, I'm AJ, and this is Chester."

"Hey." Chester waved.

"So what's Amity Park like?"

"_Shit, why do people have to be nosy?" _"It's... quiet... except for... the ghosts! Yeah, the town is really haunted... but um... don't quote me on that, they try to keep it hush-hush, y'know? Because... ghosts..." she really hoped her current lie would work, she didn't actually know anything about Amity Park, or that there even was one.

"The whole town? Haunted? You're messing with us, aren't you?"

"Nope, town's haunted, that's why I moved and also why I don't wanna talk about it anymore, so drop it."

"Alright man, fair enough. How did you and Tootie meet, she hasn't mentioned you?"

"We met here, a few months back. She isn't really big on PDAs..."

"Tootie? I thought you loved that personal digital assistant I gave you?!"

Tootie facepalmed. "Public displays of affection, genius..."

"Oh... well... that's not true either! We both saw the way you pined after Timmy..."

"Well I'm over him, done, finished, that ship has sailed..."

"And what about just now? The almost-kiss? The hug? The still-currently-going-on hand holding?"

Tootie looked down at her hand to see that she was indeed still holding Trixie's hand and quickly pulled it away and let it fall to her side. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Right... at any rate, have you seen Timmy?"

"Nope. He can do his own thing, just like he always wanted."

"Hm... it's strange, he hasn't been trying to get Trixie to go out him for a while now, I wonder if he finally gave up?"

Trixie perked up at this, but Chester and AJ didn't seem to notice.

"Y'know Tristan, you look really familiar..." AJ approached a now somewhat nervous Trixie and narrowed his eyes.

Trixie nervously glanced between Tootie and AJ. "Yeah- heh... I get that a lot... I just have one of those faces, I guess..."

"Hm... do you know a... Trixie Tang? That's who it is! You look a lot like this girl that our friend Timmy used to be obsessed with!"

"Er... nope, never heard of her, but I did just move here a few months ago... Is she really popular or something?"

"Really popular doesn't do her justice, nearly every guy in our school tries to get a date with her on a daily basis, I mean, I'll admit she's attractive, but she seems to just blow everyone off, to be honest? She's kind of a snob. Guess it must come with the territory of being rich and popular."

Despite the fact that Trixie wanted to slap AJ for calling her a snob to her face, she couldn't if she wanted to keep up her current facade, and he didn't actually know it was her he was talking to.

"Hm... sounds like someone to avoid..." _"At least those acting classes are finally paying off..."_

"Yeah, I'm surprised Timmy finally took the hint, though he has been kind of reclusive since he did." Chester added in.

"Ah, let him alone for now, he'll bounce back and start acting like his old self in no time, he's not gonna let a little heartache ruin his life."

"You're probably right, I just hope it's sooner rather than later, we need to get the gang back together before Halloween!"

"We will, Timmy has never missed Halloween before, so I doubt he'll suddenly start because of Trixie, try to remember, she didn't shoot him down, he gave up on her."

"AJ, I know you're a robot, but you need to get a refresher course on how love works, giving up on Trixie could be the exact reason Timmy doesn't come out this Halloween. Don't you realize what a broken heart can do to a person?"

"Get real! A broken heart? Since when are you all sappy and romantic?"

"I'm not! I'm just trying to get you to wrap your big empty head around the idea that Timmy might be somewhat depressed by the recent turn of events in his life."

Tootie and Trixie watched the argument before them with amusement. "Should we try to sneak away?" Tootie glanced at Trixie.

"You read my mind." the two began to slowly back away.

"Hey, Tootie! Wait!" AJ returned his attention to the retreating girl and her 'boyfriend'. "Where're you two headed?"

Tootie sighed in annoyance. "Video game store, then the comic shop, can I go now, _Dad_?"

"Mind if Chester and I tag along?"

"_Yeah, I really do." _"Uh... I guess it's okay..." _"Damnit, why do I have to be so nice?"_

"Sweet! C'mon Blondie, we get to be third wheels!"

"AJ, maybe we should let Tootie and Tristan have some privacy? I mean, they _were_ kind of on a date before we showed up..."

"_Oh my God, I love you Chester! Please, if anyone is listening, make AJ agree!" _Tootie thought to herself.

"Nah, she just said she didn't mind, right Tootie?"

"Erm... yeah, it's- it's fine..." _"So close..."_

"Okay..." Chester, while not as smart as AJ, was clearly more perceptive, he could tell that Tootie liked this new guy, and he really didn't want to screw things up, but it seemed that luck wasn't on her side today.

The now foursome made their way to their favorite video game store, AJ and Chester occasionally chatting about the newest game that came out, while Tootie and Trixie exchanged nervous glances between each other, and back at the two boys following them. "Sorry..."

Trixie looked over at Tootie. "Hm? What was that?"

"I'm sorry about... those two." she gestured behind her with her thumb. "I figured they'd be busy today, I had no idea they'd show up..."

"Don't worry about it, you aren't psychic..."

"I'm also sorry that I didn't just tell them that I wanted to spend the day with you, I should've told them that I minded them tagging along..."

"Like I said, don't worry about it, they're you're friends, no need to blow them off because of me." Trixie gave her a warm smile.

"Thanks..."

_Vicky's house..._

Timmy sat on the couch next to Vicky, who was currently shaking and had been since he arrived, though when he asked her what was up, she said she was shaking with excitement, not because she was cold or afraid.

"You gonna tell me why you wanted me to come over?"

"Hey, you said _you_ wanted to come over!"

"That was before my parents came home, they got back a few minutes after I called you, then you called me and asked me to come over here, saying it was urgent-"

"Juicy."

"Whatever. The point is, I lied and said I was going over here to borrow a cup of sugar, but they aren't completely stupid, they're going to wonder what's taking me so long at some point-"

"Yeah, in like, a week."

"So the sooner you tell me what's going on, the sooner I can get back and keep them from getting suspicious."

"Okay, so you know how Tootie has basically stopped stalking you?"

"Yeah, it's been great, I don't have to look over my shoulder anymore in fear that I might be molested."

"Well, I found out why, and it is _juicy_."

"Since when do you like gossip so much?"

"Since always. Now, take a guess."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. Go on, guess." Vicky was attempting to stifle a giggle and doing a rather poor job.

"She... got tired of me turning her down?"

"Kind of, but not the main reason."

"Um... you talked her out of it."

"Nope." the smile on Vicky's face was growing wider with each guess.

"Shit... ah... Oh! She got a boyfriend!"

Vicky gasped. "Very good guess! I mean, you're wrong, but it was a good guess."

"Can you just tell me? I thought you wanted to keep our relationship a secret? My parents-"

"You're parents wouldn't be able to figure this out if they had magic at their disposal, that's how dumb they are, no offense."

"Then what is it? Also, none taken."

"Tootie..."

"Yeah?"

"Likes..."

"Uh-huh...?"

"Girls."

"...Can you repeat that? I think I had something crazy in my ear."

"It's true. Tootie has decided to start chasing skirts."

"Do you have any proof?"

"A text message that she received from resident rich girl and ex-crush to you Trixie Tang."

"Wait. Full stop. Are you insane?"

"...Define insane..."

"You realize that Tootie sees Trixie as her main roadblock in getting to me, right? At least she did before she stopped trying to win me over..."

"Well, I guess she gave up on you and jumped the fence."

Timmy sighed. "Does- and I'm only saying this in case it's true, I'm not quite ready to believe you. Does anyone else know?"

"Nope, just you and me."

"Good, make sure it stays that way."

"Why?"

"Because, you need to let her decide when to tell people. Don't you watch TV? If you go around telling everyone that Tootie is... y'know... it won't end well, so just keep this on the down-low, okay? No blackmailing, no getting angry and shouting 'My sister's a lesbian!' Just... no."

"Well... alright. At least I got it off my chest... Still, this is kinda your fault." a sly grin graced Vicky's face.

"How, exactly?"

"You wouldn't go out with her, so she gave up and turned to the arms and bosom of another." Vicky rested the back of her hand on her forehead and mockingly swooned for emphasis.

"Oh, you're right. If only I had developed Stockholm's Syndrome the last time she kidnapped me, this never would have happened." Timmy deadpanned.

"Relax, I was just joking. I know she had an unhealthy obsession with you, and I'm glad she's finally over it, I just never suspected her to start ordering the fish, rather than the chicken."

"Chicken? Fish? What are you... Oh! Can we not use vulgar euphemisms when talking about your sister and my friend?! It's... weird..." Timmy shuddered.

"Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm not gonna get another chance like this for quite a while, if ever again!"

"On that note, I'm leaving." Timmy rose to his feet and made for the door, only to be swiftly spun around by Vicky. "I really do need to go..."

"But, you forgot your cup of sugar!"

"My wha-?" Timmy was cut off by Vicky's lips on his, though only for a moment.

"Alright, that should be enough sugar to last you. And be ready on Columbus Day, I have an idea for what we can do for fun!" with that, she shoved him out the door and shut it. "He'll probably forget."

Timmy nodded dumbly at the closed door and looked around. "Wait... what?"

_Back at the Mall because I love jumping back and forth between settings..._

"So Tootie!"

Tootie, with no small amount of hesitation and a heavy sigh, looked over her shoulder at AJ. "Yeah..."

"Are you and Tristan an item now?"

Another sigh. "If I tell you, will you drop the subject?"

"Hm... sure. Since I pretty much already know, I just wanna hear you say it." he grinned at her.

"Yeah, me and Tristan are together, I like him. Happy now?"

"Yep, consider it dropped."

Chester spoke next. "So you guys met at the arcade and just... hit it off?"

"I thought we agreed not to talk about this anymore..."

"AJ did, _I_ didn't agree to anything."

"_You know what? I take it back, I don't love Chester, I hate him." _"Tristan?"

Trixie cleared her throat and recovered the deep voice she used when she and Tootie had first met in the arcade. "Uh, yeah. Tootie was already there when I arrived and she was doing pretty well. What can I say? I like a girl who's good with her hands." Trixie elbowed Tootie, eliciting a squeak and a blush. "So I went over and, the rest is history, I suppose."

"Short history..." AJ muttered.

"Don't mind AJ, he's an ass." Chester shoved him lightly.

"Says the guy who's been fawning over the same girl for two years, worse than Timmy did with Trixie, at least Timmy went over and talked to her."

"What are you-"

"Don't bother Chester." Tootie spoke up. "We all know you like Veronica."

Trixie looked over at Tootie, then Chester. "You do?"

"You know Veronica?"

"Yeah, we've... met."

"Crap, please don't tell her! I'm already too afraid to talk to her, if she finds out... oh.. what if she thinks I'm a creeper or something?!"

"Now who's being an ass? Man up and talk to her, worst case, she rejects you, best case, she's as nuts about you as you are about her."

This comment earned AJ another shove from Chester.

"I'll talk to her... eventually."

"So never." came the reply from AJ, Tootie, and Trixie.

"Now I feel like the fourth wheel on a three wheeled bike..."

"Well boys, as much fun as I've been having, I should probably head home soon, we all have school in the morning..."

"Alright, Chester and I have to finish up a few things here, see you guys tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure." Tootie watched the two boys leave, then turned to face Trixie. "Thank goodness... and thank you,_ Tristan_, for playing along."

"Hah! Anything for my _girlfriend_." Trixie pulled Tootie into another hug, causing her to stiffen up. "Something wrong?"

"I um... this is-"

"Different?"

"That's one way to put it..."

Trixie began to lean down toward Tootie, like she had before they were interrupted, causing Tootie to close her eyes and blush furiously. Trixie watched and giggled inwardly before placing a chaste kiss at the corner of Tootie's mouth, then whisper: "See you around." before quickly leaving.

Tootie stood in the middle of the mall walkway for several minutes.

"What- What just happened?"


	3. Chapter 3

"I... like boys. Yep. Boys." Tootie had been repeating this like a mantra for several minutes now, while looking at herself in a full-length mirror in her room. "I like boys. I like AJ, I _liked_ Timmy, I like Chester. All boys. I like Francis." _"I'm gonna barf..." _"I like Tristan, yep. Tristan."

"I can hear you." she heard Vicky yell through the wall.

"Not now Vicky!"

"Trying to convince yourself of something?"

"N-no! I'm fine! Just talking to myself..."

"So how's Tristan?"

"How do you-"

"You _did_ just say you liked him."

"Leave me alone!"

KNOCK

"Vicky?"

KNOCK

"Go away..."

KNOCK

Tootie answered her bedroom door. "What?!"

"But, dearest sister, won't Trixie be jealous that you're dating someone behind her back?"

"I'm not dating anyone! And how do you know about Trixie?"

"Because you left your phone on the couch yesterday. The last message was from Trixie... I thought you hated her? Something about how she was your competition to get the Twerp?"

"I'm done with Timmy. That's why I've been hanging out with Tristan."

"Trixie."

"No... Tristan."

"Then why did Trixie text you?"

"No idea, wrong number?"

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times. You can't lie to me, I know you too well."

"Evidently not, judging by what you're suggesting..."

"C'mon... just tell me, get it off your chest..."

"Get what off my chest?"

"That you like girls."

"I don't! Not in the way you're suggesting!" Tootie crossed her arms defiantly and looked away.

Vicky merely smirked and pushed past Tootie. "I'll admit, I was surprised when I found out-"

"You didn't 'find out' anything! You're delusional!"

"Tootie, I've proven time and time again that you can trust me, so why won't you now?"

"Vicky, I've proven time and time again that I like boys, why would I jump the fence now?"

"Because being rebuffed by the Twerp finally broke something... or maybe... it fixed something."

"But-"

"You're worried about what people will think, right? Mom, Dad, Baldy, Braces, Me, ...Timmy?"

"I don't care what he thinks!"

"Ooh! Struck a nerve, did I?"

"N-no! I- I don't care what he thinks! Or anyone else!"

"Not even me?"

"No! I can be with whoever I want!"

"I know."

"I'm sure you- Wha?"

"Of course you can be with whoever you want, you _are_ your own person, aren't you?"

"But I- What will they think?" the denial finally stopped, only to be replaced by uncertainty.

"Who cares? I don't care about what people think about me and Ti-" Vicky caught herself.

"You and who?"

"Nevermind. The point is, if being with Tristan, or Trixie, or whoever, is what you wanna do, then go for it. After all the times Timmy turned away your affection, you found someone who wants to return it, do you really want to risk losing another chance? Don't you think you deserve to be loved, like everyone else?"

"...This is too weird... why are you being so supportive? Who exactly _is_ this guy? And what has he done with the old you?"

"I'll be the first to admit, sometimes- no, usually, being bad feels pretty damn good... but sometimes... being nice to the people I care about feels better." Vicky pulled Tootie into a hug and rubbed the top of her head. "I know that I've been horrible to a lot of people, even to you at times, but I want what's best for you, I want you to be happy..."

"But I- I'm confused..."

"Alright, tell me what's been going on, and I'll do my best to help."

"...A few months ago..."

Tootie explained what had happened that day at the arcade, when she told _Tristan_ that she thought he was cute, then _he_ revealed that _he_ was a _she_. Then she explained how Trixie asked her to keep up the facade, to act like Trixie was a boy so they could fool her friends.

"She mentioned that the popular kids would think she was weird, and, as you probably know, Trixie is all about keeping up appearances... So we at first just acted like two friends with similar interests, but as the months passed..."

"You began to like Tristan."

"...Yeah..."

"The problem I see here is... Tristan isn't _real_, y'know? The way he acts? It's really Trixie, and when you return the feelings, a hug, holding hands, whatever, you're returning Trixie's feelings, understand?"

"...No..." Tootie responded, almost bitterly, like she can't stand the taste of the word in her mouth.

"Look, you two can keep up the facade for as long as you want, you acting like she's him, and her acting like this imaginary guy, but you need to admit to yourself: Do you like Tristan, or Trixie?"

"I-" She what? _"I know I like Trixie... as a friend... But... could it be something more? If what Vicky says is true, then what I feel for Tristan is..." _"I don't know right now..."

"Well, luckily for you, you're still young, so you have time to figure yourself out, just remember, waiting like this? You're playing with Trixie's heart, so if I were you, I wouldn't keep her waiting too long..." Vicky released Tootie and headed for her door. "No matter what you decide, you're still my sister, and I love you."

"I... thanks Vicky, love you too."

She watched Vicky leave, then immediately re-open the door. "Oh, thought you should know, it's nine-fifteen, you're late for school."

Tootie grabbed her phone. "What?!"

"Yeah, spent a little too much time convincing yourself you like boys, huh?"

"Shit!" Tootie began hurriedly running around her room, grabbing her backpack and papers.

Vicky watched with an amused grin on her face. "You want me to call the school and say you won't make it today?"

Tootie stopped and thought about this, it was certainly a tempting offer, but... "No! I need to go in today!"

"Oh? Someone you wanna see?" the glint in Vicky's eyes suggested she already knew.

"Why even ask? You clearly know, especially after that conversation..."

"Sometimes feigning stupidity has its uses... C'mon, I'll give you a ride."

School was boring, as expected. It felt like it dragged on even longer for Tootie, since she needed confirmation of something from her friends, though she worried if she would still be able to call them that after today.

"Guys?" she now sat with them at lunch, Timmy on her right, Chester on her left, and AJ on Timmy's right.

"What's up?"

"I uh..." she hoped someone would interrupt her so she could chicken out and forget the whole thing, but her three friends listened with rapt attention. "I-" Tootie cleared her throat, but whispered so no one but the three at her table could hear. "I like Trixie Tang."

"Okay?"

"So?"

"I thought you hated her for being the only competition for Timmy's heart?"

"No, what I mean is... I _like_ Trixie."

"What? Like you and her are friends now?"

"AJ, she pretty much just said that..."

Timmy spoke up, ironically being the most perceptive today. "I think she means she likes Trixie... like Chester like Veronica..."

"What?! No I don't! Stop saying that-" Chester turned to look at Tootie. "You mean...?"

"Oh..." AJ looked over at Trixie at the popular table.

"When you saw me at the mall with'Tristan'? It was really her, disguised so no one would recognize her..."

"Alright." Timmy returned to eating his lunch.

"Alright? Just- just like that?"

"Yep." Timmy shrugged his shoulders. He was quite aware of the fact that Trixie dressed as a boy now and then from his time as 'Timantha', but he wasn't about to share that.

"Uh-huh." Chester began eating his lunch.

Followed by AJ doing the same.

"That's- that's it? You guys are... just fine with it?"

"Why wouldn't we be?" Timmy looked at her questioningly. "We've been friends for a while now, that isn't about to change."

"Chester? AJ?"

"It's not really a big deal."

"Nope."

"But-"

"What? Did you think we'd cast you out?"

"I... kinda..."

"Hm. You must not have very high opinions of us." Timmy winked at Tootie to show he was joking.

Tootie could feel tears prickling at the corners of her eyes and wrapped her arms around Timmy, causing him to stiffen up for just a second, before relaxing in her grip. "You guys... you're true friends... and the best a nerdy girl with stars in her eyes could ask for..."

Timmy returned the hug. "Hey... we need to stick together, you can't get rid of us that easily..."

"You know guys... this is nice and all, but this is really,_ really_ sappy." AJ interjected, and was quickly silenced with a smack to the back of the head by Timmy.

"Why you gotta ruin things? We were having a moment here!"

AJ rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry... heheh..."

"But... let's keep this whole thing between us, okay?"

"You got it, what about Trixie?"

"Well, obviously I have to tell her that you guys know, but no one else! I mean it!"

"We got it! Calm down, none of us are gonna tell anyone anything, besides, who would we tell? The only people we talk to are each other."

"Thanks... now I just have to tell Trixie..."

"Tell her what?"

"That... I like her?"

"Whoa! You told _us_ before _her_?!"

"Well I-"

"You better tell her quick! You should always tell your crush that you like them first! Your crush comes before your family, your friends... anyone!"

"Timmy, I think you're over-"

"Nuh-uh! Don't wanna hear it!"

"Alright... consider the issue dropped..."

"Good. So, how have you guys' days been going?"

After school, Tootie waited in her bedroom for the text she knew was coming.

_BEEP_

"And there it is..."

_Hey, you good to meet up today?_

Tootie texted back.

_Yeah, be there in a few._

Tootie got off her bed and grabbed her purse, depositing her phone in it as she did. Upon opening her bedroom door, she was startled by Vicky, leaning up against the door-frame. "Um! Vicky! What's up?"

"Need a ride?" Vicky smirked knowingly at Tootie.

"Er... if you're not busy..."

"I always have time for you Tootie."

"This nice act is really creepy sis..."

"I have no idea what you're talking about..."


	4. Chapter 4

Arriving at the mall, Tootie got out of Vicky's car and thanked her.

"No problem sis! Say hi to 'Tristan' for me!"

Tootie rolled her eyes. "Bye Vicky."

She watched her sister speed away and cut off several people.

"Okay... here goes... something..." Tootie made her way through the mall and toward the arcade, toward where Trixie would be.

Spying the girl in her now trademark red hat, Tootie ran over but stopped herself from leaping at her like she did before.

"Tootie?"

"We ah... we need to talk, about us."

"Okay...?" Tootie led Trixie over to one of the mall's many benches.

"I-" Tootie stopped and seemed to contemplate her next words. "I thought about yesterday, a lot."

"You mean when I kissed you."

"_Damnit! It's weird when she's so confident and I'm..." _"Yeah, that."

"So...?"

"I'm... not really sure. The only person I've ever been that close to is Timmy... and he didn't really return my feelings..." Tootie looked off at nothing in particular, then shifted her gaze to her hands, which were now holding Trixie's. "But... I like you, like, _really_ like you... and I was wondering... if you wanted to give _us_ a shot..." as she spoke, Tootie's face went from pink to progressively redder, she could now feel the heat from her own cheeks and absently wondered if she might get a nose bleed at this rate.

"Well... of course I do. I've just been waiting for you to make the first move. I don't want to push you into something and make you uncomfortable..."

"But you kissed me yesterday."

"I didn't say I was patient..." Trixie grinned at Tootie.

"I talked to my sister about... us. She says that I might be associating my feelings for 'Tristan' with you and getting my wires a bit... crossed."

"So she thinks you like Tristan and you're not sure if you like me, right? Well... do you like me? And I mean Trixie, not Tristan."

"I already told you I do."

"Okay...? Hm... Maybe... we could try going out on a... date?" Trixie asked hopefully.

"A date? Like... romantic dinner, see a movie... that kinda thing?"

"Well... if you wanna go all cliché on me..."

Tootie smiled at Trixie slyly. "Maybe I like cliché?"

Trixie returned the smile. "Nothing wrong with that."

"So um... where should we go?"

"There's a Giovanni's in the mall; we could go there?"

"I can't afford to eat at a place like that..." Tootie looked down sadly.

"Luckily for you, the boyfriend tends to pay for his girlfriend's food." Trixie adjusted her red baseball cap slightly.

"You saying I'm the girl in this relationship?"

"Yes." Trixie responded without missing a beat.

"Why do I have to be the girl?" Tootie whined in mock-annoyance.

"Because you're the one dressed as a girl. Now let's go." Trixie grabbed Tootie's hand and pulled her along through the mall until they found the restaurant that Trixie had specified. Trixie began walking toward the entrance, but was stopped by Tootie. "What's up?"

"Um... don't we need to get kinda dressed up to go to this place? And I've heard you need a reservation..."

Trixie chuckled somewhat haughtily. "Good thing you're with me then." Trixie continued leading Tootie into the restaurant and over to the maitre'd.

"Hello... what can I do for you two?" the man spoke with an annoying and obviously fake french accent.

"Tang, party of two." Trixie spoke authoritatively in her normal voice, rather than her Tristan one.

"Hm... I'm sorry, I-"

Trixie pulled out her phone. "Daddy? I need a reservation for Giovanni's at the mall. Thanks Daddy!" Trixie pocketed her phone and began checking her nails; an odd sight to see for the maitre'd, seeing as how the person in front of him looked like a boy.

"Who-" the maitre'd began to speak, but was cut off as the phone in front of him began to ring. "One moment." he picked up the phone. "Hello? Yes, I- Oh! I see... My apologies, I didn't realize- Yes of course..." the maitre'd, who now looked just a bit flustered, returned his attention to the couple in front of him as he hung up the phone. "Right this way Ms. Tang. I didn't recognize you in... whatever that is that you're wearing..."

"Not to worry!" Trixie exclaimed happily as she followed the maitre'd and led Tootie to their table where they sat down.

"I'll send over whoever isn't busy to be your waitress." the maitre'd quickly trotted off and both girls hoped it would be the last they saw of him.(The author did too, because he was getting tired of typing 'maitre'd').

"Must be nice to have friends in high places."

"Oh that? Just my dad, he insists on having a little piece of every business in Dimmsdale in his pocket. It comes in handy. Don't you have something like that?"

"Kind of... I assume your dad is a benefactor of sorts to most of the businesses he's involved with?"

"Yeah."

"Well Vicky is... she can certainly get things when she wants to... but she's definitely not a benefactor. Most of the time, she gets reservations and the like through blackmail... or worse."

"Worse than blackmail? Do tell!"

"Well, there's the intimidation. Vicky believes that if there's something she wants, then there is no reason not to have it. If she can't have it, she usually takes it. By force, blackmail, threats, you name it."

"Sounds like you must've had a rough childhood growing up with Vicky." Trixie sipped from her glass of water.

"It... wasn't the easiest time. My Mom and Dad are still terrified of Vicky... But... I dunno, something's off about her lately."

"You said she has a boyfriend?"

"Yeah, that's gotta be it. I've never, and I mean _never_ seen her like this. She's- she's... bubbly even! Seeing her as mean Vicky for so long... it's creepy."

Trixie, who was now looking at her menu, but still listening, now lowered the menu to look at Tootie. "If I were you, I'd just go with it and enjoy it while it lasts. From how you make her sound, this guy probably won't last too long."

"I don't know... the other guys never made her feel so... giddy..."

"That's good to then, right? If this relationship lasts, maybe she'll turn over a new leaf and start acting nice to you?"

"Yeah, and maybe Hell will freeze over, pigs'll fly, and people will get fairy godparents! ...Sorry. I just don't think that one guy has the power to change Vicky for the better..."

"Hm... maybe you're right..."

"Hey, I'm... Heather... I'll be... uh..."

Trixie looked up at the waitress. "Something wrong? Never seen a couple of twelve year old girls enjoying dinner in a fancy restaurant before?"

"No." the waitress addressing herself as Heather deadpanned at Trixie. "You two on a date or something?"

Tootie blushed and hid behind her menu, while Trixie coughed into her hand nervously.

"_Why do I always get the weird ones?" _"Whatever." Heather shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "Not my place to judge. What can I get you?"

_Meanwhile..._

Vicky drove out of the mall parking lot and headed towards Timmy's house. She didn't have anything else to do, so why not go see her boyfriend? _"I... want to go see him. I don't _need_ to, yeah, that's it!"_ she was trying(in vain) to convince herself that she wasn't... _needy_. She was Vicky; strong, independent, don't-need-no-man Vicky. Not... "Not lovestruck, swooning Vicky. Nope." Vicky took out her phone and dialed Timmy's number.

"Vicky?"

"How'd you know it was me?"

"I have caller ID? Like... I don't know, everyone?"

"Hm. I'm coming over." Vicky said plainly.

"But... my parents-"

"Would probably love to go to..." Vicky searched through her car's glove compartment. "The Dimmsdale Dimmadome! And see... Ugh... Chip Skylark..."

"How do you always have tickets to these big events?"

"Now now Twerp. If I told you all my secrets... well, they wouldn't be secrets anymore, would they?"

"What are we gonna do?"

"Whatever you wanna do..." Vicky said seductively.

She heard Timmy gasp from the other end of the line. "Cool! I got a new Crash Nebula game and-"

Vicky tuned him out as she headbutted her steering wheel and sighed. _"Right... he has no idea what innuendo is..."_

"You okay? I heard a thumping sound." the worry was evident in his voice.

"I'm fine. Be there in... Now."

Timmy looked outside his bedroom window to see Vicky's car pull up, then the red-head herself step out and walk around his house, rather than to his front door. "Where are you going?"

"Cank tlk mow, fome en mouf..." Vicky was behind Timmy's house, pulling out a climbing ax while holding her phone in her mouth.

"What?" Timmy struggled to understand the gibberish being emitted by his phone.

"Ay said, cank tlk mo- Gr..."

There was a sound from Vicky's end that sounded a lot like a climbing ax being driven into the side of a house repeatedly. "What the?"

_KNOCK_

Timmy turned to look at his window to see Vicky knocking on it with her free hand while the other was(predictably) holding on to a climbing ax embedded in the side of his house. Timmy looked at her for several seconds in disbelief. "What _are_ you doing?!"

Vicky scowled at him and looked at the pane of glass separating the two.

"Oh right." Timmy put down his phone and walked over to and opened the window, allowing Vicky to climb in.

"Blah!" Vicky spit her phone out onto Timmy's bed. "I couldn't really talk with a phone in my mouth. I'm being spontaneous! I _was_ going to use the front door, but then I had an excellent excuse to try out my climbing ax."

"How much siding did you tear off the house?"

Vicky thought back to the large pieces of siding laying in Timmy's backyard. "Only a little..."

"Glad I'm not paying for it. Wanna go give those tickets to my parents?"

"Oh! Thanks for reminding me!" Vicky left Timmy's room, but was quickly followed out by the room's owner. "Something up?"

"No, just happy you're here!" Timmy wrapped his arms around her legs and hugged them, forcing her to stop in her tracks to keep from falling over.

Vicky looked down and blushed ever so slightly. "W-well I'm happy to be here... but I need my legs back."

Timmy released Vicky after several more seconds and the two conyinued downstairs.

_Back at the Mall..._

Tootie and Trixie now sat at their table silently. Awkwardly.

"So, I-" "I um-" both spoke at the same time.

"Um... you go ahead Trixie."

"No it's alright Tootie."

Both now blushed.

"Um... this was nice. Thanks for buying me dinner Trixie."

"Well it's the least I can do for _Tristan's_ girlfriend." Trixie said with a wink and a smile.

"You mean Trixie, right?"

"Do _you_?"

"Of course I do! We have so much in common and like I said, I really like you... It's just... I'm not great at being... reserved about these types of things. I know you wanna keep 'us' on the DL, but-"

"Hey, don't worry about that. If people find out about us, then they find out. If they don't like the idea, then to Hell with 'em, y'know?"

"A-alright..." Tootie wasn't so sure... but Trixie seemed so confident...

"Hey, how 'bout we head back to the arcade?"

"Um... actually... would you wanna come over my house for a bit? We could play games or... um..."

"I'd love to." Trixie smiled at Tootie and laid her hand over hers.

* * *

><p>AN: Okay, that's it for this. A thousand apologies for taking so long to finish this one. I just wasn't really feeling it like I was Timmy and Vicky. But I put a few little Tootie/Trixie moments in the other stories, so there's that.


End file.
